Play lots for children have long been part of the scene in park systems, educational systems, etc. Such lots conventionally sport a variety of apparatus and toys with which the children may play and otherwise amuse themselves. Generally, the more the children are amused or otherwise have their attention occupied by the apparatus or toys at a play lot, the less adult attention is required in supervising the children.
As a consequence, increasingly, business establishments that cater to adults of child bearing age are establishing their own play lots. Consequently, an adult with a young child may frequent the business and conduct business accordingly without interference by their child or children by leaving the child or children at a play lot established by the business. Increasingly, this has become popular in recreation centers as, for example, bowling houses and fast food emporiums. The children occupy themselves at the establishment play lot while their parents enjoy a line or lines or bowling or a meal.
One typical play lot feature that meets all of these criteria is a pit filled with low density, brightly colored, plastic balls. The balls typically may be formed or a material such as a low density polyethylene into hollow spheres of approximately 3" in diameter. Because of the particular material used, the balls are relatively soft so as to deflect when squeezed and yet restored to their original shape when pressure is released. Thus, the balls always look like they are in their original condition and not deformed. At the same time, they may be partially, temporarily, crushed through the weight of children playing in the pit and this feature avoids bruising children as might be the case if the objects were hard and unyielding. At the same time, the low mass of the balls means they are easily handled even by very young children and pose no danger when thrown. These attributes have resulted in toys of this type having great popularity.
One concern that parents of children have in connection with their children playing with toys or apparatus also used by other children is the spreading of diseases such as colds, flu, etc. This concern is not unique to any particular type of toy or apparatus, but is one that is fairly universal with parents of small children.
Occasionally, small children will try to place a toy or other object in their mouth and the low density balls mentioned previously are no exception. To avoid the possibility that such could result in contamination of the ball or balls of the toy, which in turn could be communicated to other children, it is necessary that the balls be periodically cleaned. The present invention is directed to providing an apparatus that may be readily used for cleaning low density objects such as the balls mentioned above.